Aileron Drag Rudder 
Plane and Pilot
JULY 2, 2025
This climb speed is determined by minimizing the two sources of drag acting against the airplane. If speed is too low, meaning angle of attack is too high, induced drag builds up, as the wing is working extra hard to make lift. If speed is too fast, parasite drag becomes excessive, created from the increased wind resistance.
Pilot Institute
JUNE 4, 2025
A tailless aircraft may still have a fuselage and a vertical tail (fin and rudder). This setup makes the wing less efficient overall, but it can reduce drag, weight, and cost compared to using a separate tail. High aspect ratio wings reduce drag and improve performance during climb or slow flight. Why does this matter?
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Pilot Institute
FEBRUARY 20, 2025
At first glance, ailerons look like ordinary hinged panels on the wings, but don’t be fooledthey’re important for keeping an aircraft both stable and maneuverable. But theres much more to ailerons than just rolling left or right. Or how do modern airplanes reduce dangerous effects like aileron flutter or adverse yaw?
Flying Magazine
JULY 22, 2025
King noted that Epic focuses on stick-and-rudder skills to the point that the first time in the airplane the pilot uses absolutely none of the automation. Steering with the rudder pedals is direct and effective—brakes are only required for the tightest turns. Prior to takeoff, the rudder trim is set from 50 to 100 percent to the right.
Pilot's Life Blog
JANUARY 12, 2025
Understanding the Basics of Flight Principles of Flight: Lift, Weight, Thrust, and Drag Flying a plane for the first time requires a basic understanding of the forces that make flight possible. Thrust, produced by the engines, moves the plane forward, while drag, or air resistance, slows it down.
Pilot's Life Blog
JUNE 18, 2025
Use ailerons and rudder together to maintain coordinated flight. Deploying flaps prematurely increases drag and shortens glide distance. Immediately pitch the aircraft to maintain the best glide speed. This is crucial to optimize your distance and control. Avoid steep banks that increase stall risk and reduce glide efficiency.
Pilot Institute
APRIL 12, 2025
The reaction in the form of increased thrust allows the aircraft to overcome drag and accelerate or climb. Lets break down the main control surfaces and how they use action-reaction: Ailerons Ailerons are flaps placed on the wings trailing edges. They work in opposite pairs: when one aileron goes up, the other goes down.
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